Be Human
by wordboy
Summary: In this sequel to Archangel, people from John and Aeryn's past begin to show up on Moya, including one woman who makes a startling claim. From there, things go from bad to worse. Part Three is now up.
1. Chapter 1

"Be Human"

Disclaimer: I didn't create the Farscape characters. You know who owns the Farscape characters. Caralynn Adrasteia (Carly), Murphy Greenfield, Scott Madigan, Zoe Baird and Arissia are mine…all mine…

Theme:

_I analyze and I verify and I quantify so much  
100 percentile no errors no miss  
I synchronize and I specialize and I classify so much  
Don't worry 'bout dreaming because I don't sleep  
_

_I wish I could at least 30 percent  
Maybe 50 for pleasure then skip all the rest_

_If I only was more human  
I would count every single second the rest of my life  
If I just could be more human  
I'd have so many little babies and maybe a wife  
_

_I'd roll around in mud and have lots of fun then when I was done  
Build bubble bath towers and swim in the tub  
Sand castles on the beach, frolic in the sea, get a broken knee  
Be scared of the dark and I'd sing out of key_

_Curse when I lost a fight, kiss and reunite, scratch a spider's bite  
Be happy with wrinkles I got when I smile  
Pet kittens 'till they purred, maybe keep a bird, always keep my word  
I'd cry at sat movies and laugh 'till it hurt_

_I'd buy a big bike, I'd ride by the lake  
And I'd have lots of friends and I'd stay out too late_

_If I could just be more human  
I would see every little thing with a gleam in my eye  
If only I was be more human  
I'd embrace every single feeling that came in my life_

_Would I care and be forgiven?  
Would I be sentimental and would I feel loneliness?_

_Would I doubt and have misgivings?  
Would I cause some sorrow too? Would I know what to do?_

_Will I cry when it's all over?_

_When I die will I see Heaven?_

"Be Human (Tachikoma Song)"

From _Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex_

**Part One:** Many Are Called

_"Roaming in between the world of sleep and awake  
Seems so far away from where I've been and untrue but unafraid  
In trusting my soul I know I must be taken to see the world that is  
Not so far from now_

"_Imaginations come and sweep the shores of my mind  
Letting it be, visions pass, and emotions arise  
Letting them go, and beyond are doors I've never seen, opening one by one._/i

Taken from "Living In The Shell"  
From _Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex_

John stared down the corridor, his eyes darting, as if expecting trouble. It was quiet onboard Moya, too quiet as far as he was concerned. The condition filled him with dread. Many of their greatest difficulties had started when things were quiet.

A DRD scooted past him, on its way to perform some task. _At least they have something to do. With just the three of us here, Moya feels like a house with all the children gone._

John's eyes went wide. _Oh God, I'm quoting Shatner!_

He rubbed his eyes and took a deep breath. _You'd think that after all these cycles of having people after my ass, I'd enjoy the peace and quiet. Thing is, it's a little too quiet._

A look of despair crossed John's face as he realized the implication of his last thought. _Oh God, I didn't just think that!_

As if on cue, Pilot's voice came form his comm. "Commander?"

John hesitated a moment before answering. "Pilot?"

"Is everything all right?"

John hesitated again, as if waiting for the other shoe to drop. "Fine. Why?"

"Just curious. Was there anyplace in particular you wanted to go?"

"No place special, Pilot, unless there's someplace Aeryn wanted to go."

"Officer Sun suggested going to Hertzagoavallia. It's a commerce planet."

"Sure. That'll be fine."

Pilot hesitated. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"Fine. I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop."

"Excuse me?"

"Never mind. How long until we reach Herzegovina?"

"Hertzagoavallia."

"Whatever."

"Approximately four arns."

"Cool."

John stared down the corridor again, sighed and started walking. "Maybe I'll just take a nap."

…and her next thought was, "…the hell…?"

Agent Caralynn Adrasteia looked around slowly, her gray eyes sweeping the smoothly flowing lines of the corridor she had suddenly found herself in. As an agent for Division Five of EarthGov Security, she was used to being confronted by unexpected situations. Suddenly finding herself in a corridor when, moments before, she had been walking with her partner through the corridor outside her apartment in Oneonta was beyond her experience.

"Okay," she said as she ran one hand through her straight, shoulder-length white hair. "I trust you have an explanation for this."

Next to her, Agent Murphy Greenfield turned around. He frowned when he saw a blank wall. "If I had an explanation, I'd feel somewhat better about it." Murphy reached into an inside jacket pocket and took out his celfon. He tapped a preset and watched the 'fon's small screen. "No signal. Why am I not surprised?" He ran a hand through his unkempt, sandy blonde hair and shook his head. "Why do things always go pear-shaped when we're around?"

"We're just lucky, I guess." Carly pulled out her own celfon and tapped a preset. "I'm not getting anything, either. Somehow, I don't think we'll be making it to your grandfather's house in Brisbane."

"I'm sure Roddy will understand if we're not there." Murphy watched Carly scan the corridor again, knowing she was reaching out with her enhanced senses. "Can you hear anything?"

"Nothing, really. Just quiet humming, like machinery, or…engines. Murphy, I don't think we're on Earth anymore. But, if that's true, then how did we get here?"

"That's the question. Maybe someone's developed some kind of transporter technology and decided to test it on us?"

"Great. We're stuck in someone's _Star Trek_ fantasy. Just what I need. So what do we do now? Stand here or go look for answers?"

"Only one thing to do." Carly reached behind her back and drew her service-issue CZ75 Phased Plasma Pistol. She checked the energy cap and nodded down the corridor. "Let's go that way. Do you want to take point or should I?"

Murphy drew his own pistol. "You first. You're the one with the enhanced strength and reflexes."

"Fine. Watch my back."

Murphy raised an eyebrow as he fell in behind Carly. "Always," he muttered.

"…unexpected."

Scott Madigan looked around, surprised to find himself standing in the middle of a corridor. He frowned; a moment earlier, he and Zoe Baird had been walking down a street in the middle of Khatresh City on Kevelan.

"Ummm…Zoe? Where are we?"

Next to him, Zoe Baird looked around, her mahogany eyes scanning the corridor in ways Scott's human eyes couldn't. "Well, we're not on Kevelan anymore." Zoe turned completely around, red hair that nearly reached the deck swirling around her. "From the looks of things, we're on a starship, somewhere in space."

"It didn't feel like we went through a transmat. At any rate, I don't have my transmat bracelet on. Unless, of course, you decided to bring us here."

Zoe shook her head. "No, I didn't bring us here. I don't even know where here is. I'm not recognizing the stellar patterns."

Scott tugged on the collar of his leather duster and chewed his lower lip. He had encountered many unexpected things in his long life. Suddenly finding himself transported to an unknown starship by unknown means was nowhere in his life experience.

"Are we alone here," he asked.

Zoe looked around again. "There are three life forms that way; one's human, another I don't recognize, and a third is indeterminate. That way, there's a life form I don't recognize at all. And off that way, there are two human life signs, though one of them has some kind of low-grade radioactive trace." She turned to Scott and smiled. "So, what do you think?"

"I think something is going on, and I'm not sure I like it."

"But you're the one who's always telling me that I should embrace the unexpected."

Scott frowned. Sometimes he had to remind himself that though she resembled a human woman, Zoe was anything but. Though over half a million years old, Zoe had no real experience with being human. "Sometimes, the unexpected can be a good thing. Sometimes, though, the unexpected can lead to a less than pleasurable experience. Now, shall we track down these life forms you've found? Maybe we'll be able to get some answers."

"Would you rather I transport us there? It'll certainly be faster." Zoe waved a hand. When nothing happened, she waved again. "All right, that's unexpected."

"What?"

"I can't transport. Something's stopping me."

"Something's stopping you? Can you tell what it is?"

Zoe closed her eyes and reached out with her mind. "No. I'm not sensing anything. I can still sense you." She held up her hand. A moment later, a glowing ball of light appeared above her palm. "The rest of my abilities seem to be intact. Whoever's behind this apparently doesn't want us leaving."

"So we'll have to do this the old fashioned way. Let's get going."

The woman known to some as Arissia Mastani looked around the corridor she had suddenly found herself in. She considered the flowing lines of the corridor walls and smiled. "All right, this is different. Someone's trying to get my attention."

She reached out with her mind and scanned the area around her. "I'm on a starship. Fascinating." A moment later, Arissia found a number of life forms. Her smile grew as she started walking.

Pilot looked over his console again then looked up at John and Aeryn. "I'm not certain who they are, Commander, nor can I tell you how they came to be on Moya. They seem to have simply appeared."

"No one can just appear out of nowhere, Pilot." Aeryn leaned close to Pilot and frowned. "Did Moya pick up anything before they appeared?"

"Nothing, Officer Sun. I have no explanation for how they arrived here. However, I can tell you that at least three of them are human, Commander."

John glanced once at Aeryn then back at Pilot. "Human, Pilot? That's impossible."

"So is their appearing out of nowhere."

"True. If three of them are human, what are the other two?"

"Unknown. Their life signs don't match anything in Moya's data stores."

"Any signs of weapons?"

"Nothing Moya recognizes as a weapon. Still, it would perhaps be best to err on the side of caution."

"Way too many unknowns, Pilot." John glanced back at Aeryn again. "You locked the door to our cabin, right?"

The look Aeryn threw him made John wonder why he ever questioned her. "Of course I did. D'Argo is fast asleep, and 1812 is watching over him. Pilot, have the DRDs try and herd them toward the Center Chamber. We'll meet them there."

As they started from the den, both John and Aeryn drew their pulse pistols and checked the oil charges. "And I was getting used to the peace and quiet," John said.

It wasn't long before they found the first of the newcomers.

From behind a corner, John watched the man and woman walk down the center of the corridor. He tightened his grip on his pulse pistol when he saw the two carrying pistols. He glanced at Aeryn, on the other side of the intersection, and saw concern clearly on her face.

The woman stopped and looked around. She seemed to be listening to something and sniffing the air. "Someone's nearby," she said. She nodded in their direction. "That way."

The man nodded. "Whoever you are, we don't mean any harm. We're trying to find out where we are."

John frowned. _That's an Australian accent. What the hell's going on?_ He nodded to Aeryn and stepped out into view. "Who are…you…wait a minute." John stared at the woman and frowned. "I know you."

The woman stared at him and lowered her pistol. She blinked several times and frowned. "Yes. You're…John Crichton."

"You're Caralynn Adrasteia, right?"

The man and Aeryn turned puzzled looks on them. "Carly," the man said, "would you care to explain this to your partner?"

"Something you want to tell me about, John," Aeryn asked.

"Remember back a couple of cycles, that time traveler that appeared on Moya? What was her name…?"

"Antandra Pandora. You went to Earth in the future. You encountered her?"

"Yeah. She showed me a very nice holding cell. And this is…?"

"Murphy Greenfield," the man said as he holstered his pistol. "Could this have something to do with this time traveler?"

"Don't know. Haven't seen her show up yet. Our internal sensors picked up five people we can't account for, so maybe…"

"Excuse us." The man's voice came from behind them.

They all turned. Down the corridor stood another man and woman, both dressed in leather. There was nothing out of the ordinary about the man, average appearance, blonde hair worn long and in a tail. The woman's red hair was incredibly long, almost reaching the floor. Her eyes were mahogany in color.

"And you are?"

"Scott Madigan," the man said. "This is Zoe Baird. We seem to have been brought here for some reason. Could…"

"Wait, I know you," Aeryn said. She took a few steps toward Zoe and nodded. "Yes. The same time you went to the future, John, I went farther into the future. Remember?"

Zoe exchanged a look with Scott then turned back to Aeryn. "I'm sorry, but I don't recall ever meeting you."

"It was on Earth. I was transported to your time. I arrived with Antandra. My name is Aeryn Sun."

"I don't know anyone named Aeryn Sun, and my time is the late forty-fifth century. Wait…you mentioned a time traveler? Do you know what the year was?"

"I think she said it was 7781."

Zoe nodded. "That's it, then. My time is 4495. It happened in your past, but my future. What time are the two of you from?"

"2291," Carly said. "I thought time travel was impossible."

"Apparently, it's not impossible, just very, very difficult." John took a deep breath and massaged his eyes. "Okay, so we have a little reunion. Do any of you know how you got here or why we're here?"

"I don't know about them," Murphy said, "but we don't even know where we are."

"We know we're on a ship," Scott said, "but how we got here is a mystery."

"Perhaps I can shed some light on this."

Aeryn looked back over her shoulder. Another woman was walking toward them. Unlike Carly, Murphy, Scott and Zoe, she seemed to be completely relaxed and was smiling. Her blonde hair was long, falling past her shoulders. She wore what looked like a long robe and sandals.

"And you're the fifth one. So, who are you?"

"Who am I? That's a long story, longer than you could possibly imagine." She stopped and leaned against the wall. "You know me, John. You've had moments when you've doubted, but you still believe in me. Murphy has his moments of doubt, but he believes in me, too. Carly doesn't believe in me at all, but that's all right. Scott gave up on me a long time ago. I don't know you…Aeryn, was it? I don't know you, so I can't comment one way or the other. Zoe, however, knows exactly who I am. Don't you, Zoe?"

Zoe's eyes went wide. "It's you! Did you cause this?"

The woman frowned and shook her head. "No, I didn't. Whoever's behind this is powerful, to be sure."

John held up a hand. "Hang on. Who are you?"

"I've gone by many names, John. At one time, long, long ago, I was known as Arissia Mastani. Since then, I've gone by a variety of names. I do have one name that I'm known by, at least on Earth."

"And that is?"

Arissia smiled. "God."


	2. Chapter 2

"Be Human"

Disclaimer: I didn't create the Farscape characters. You know who owns the Farscape characters. Caralynn Adrasteia (Carly), Murphy Greenfield, Scott Madigan, Zoe Baird and Arissia are mine…all mine…

**Part Two:** The Gang's All Here

_Angels and demons were circling above me  
Breaking the hardships and starry ways  
The only one who doesn't know happiness  
Is the one who couldn't understand its call_

From "Inner Universe"  
From _Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex_

Arissia looked around at the assembled faces and smiled at the puzzled looks all but one of them wore.

"I'm sorry," she said. "Did I say something wrong?"

For a few microts, all John could do was stare. "I'm sorry," he was finally able to say, "but could you run that by us again, 'cause I think we're all a little fuzzy on what you said. Are you claiming to be God?"

Zoe said, "She's telling the truth. Arissia is the being humans refer to as God, the one who created the universe."

"Did it really take seven days," Carly asked.

"It actually took a few nanoseconds to get it started, then I just let it go. I tend to think of the universe as a work in progress."

"You don't look like any kind of supreme being I've ever heard of." Aeryn glanced at John. "Didn't you tell me your god was usually portrayed as an old man?"

"That's one narrow interpretation. To be honest, though I am powerful, I'm not the all-powerful being that most humans think I am. I may have started this universe, and I did create one life form, but I left everything else to develop on its own."

John holstered his pulse pistol and considered what Arissia said. "There is something I've always been curious about, something I've wondered as long as I can remember. Where did you come from?" John waved a hand toward the Center Chamber. "Let's all have a seat."

As she followed the others into the compartment, Carly said, "I know someone who'd say you're not supposed to ask that question, that the origins of God are a matter of faith."

Murphy nodded. "You're right. Wes would be beside himself at this opportunity."

"I've always wondered about that sentiment," Scott said as he took a seat. "Why would she give us the intelligence and curiosity to conceive the question if we're not supposed to know the answer?"

"I didn't give humanity anything, Scott. As to where I came from…that's a tale. Do you accept there was another universe before this one?"

"I accept that it's possible there was a universe before this one. There's really no way to know."

"Trust me. There was a universe before this one. In that universe, there was a race of being that were identical to humans. We had allied with a race known as the Mhal'rheni, who were experts in time travel. Between our two races, we explored the past and increased our understanding of what came before. Then it was proposed going all the way back to the explosion that created our universe. I was the one chosen to go back and make the observation."

Arissia closed her eyes. "So I went back. To my surprise, I found someone there, watching me. Before I could investigate, something went terribly wrong. Rather than simply being observed, the uncontrolled energies of the explosion flooded through our time portal and began to unravel the universe, destroying it on a subatomic level. Though it seemed like moments to me, the universe I knew was destroyed over the course of a few thousand years. When it was finished, only I, existing only as energy, and one small, atom-sized particle of matter survived."

"What about that someone you found at the beginning?"

"Ironically enough, he was a time traveler from the universe previous to mine, which suffered the same fate as my own. He told me that it was up to me to shepherd this new universe, just as he shepherded my universe. It was his hope that this universe wouldn't suffer the same fate as the universe before it."

"What happened to him?"

"He said he was passing beyond the veil. I assume he's dead; I haven't felt his presence since this universe started. So I've made sure this universe continues on as it should. That includes making sure no one tries to witness the creation of the universe."

"You created one race? And which race might that be?"

Arissia smiled. "I'm sure there are people on Earth who would argue that the race I created was humanity. It wasn't. The race I created was Zoe's, the energy beings known as the Dolwa."

Aeryn turned to Zoe. "You're not human?"

"No. I'm an energy being who merged with the body of Scott's murdered lover. In my natural form, this is what I look like." Zoe closed her eyes and her body seemed to collapse in on itself. A moment later, she looked like nothing more than a glowing sphere of light surrounded by a larger, shimmering sphere. After a microt, she returned to her human form.

"You didn't do that when I met you before."

"I usually don't conceal my abilities. If I was…will be hiding them, then I must be concealing my true identity. It'll be interesting to find out why."

_Just when I thought we were finished with the weird-ass crap,_ John thought. He stared at Zoe then turned back to Arissia. "So, are you the one who brought them here?"

"No. Whoever it was brought me here also."

"But you're God."

Arissia shrugged. "When I assume a human form, I'm subject to everything that would affect a human. But that also says that whoever our abductor is, he's extremely powerful."

Carly exchanged a look with Murphy. "Can you get us out of here and back to where we belong?"

"I would if I could. Something seems to be blocking me. Zoe, can you transport?"

"No. Something's blocking me, also. All the rest of my abilities are intact, but I can't…" Zoe looked around, long red hair trailing like a mane, eyes wide.

"What's the matter?"

Zoe looked around again. "My people have a limited precognitive sense. It's imprecise, but it at least gives a hint that something's about to go wrong."

John and Aeryn exchanged looks. "Pilot, is everything all right?"

"For the moment, Officer Sun. All of Moya's systems are functioning normally, and no one else has appeared. We're still on course for…wait…"

"Pilot? Don't tell me…"

"Six more people have appeared on tier twelve. In appears that four of them are fighting the other two."

John sighed. "It's started to feel like old times."

"I was getting used to the quiet." Aeryn drew her pulse pistol, glanced at Carly and Murphy, then turned to Scott and Zoe. "I know they're armed. What about you two?"

"No problem." Scott reached under his coat and pulled out a long, cylindrical device. "Just like the old Boy Scouts, I'm always prepared."

John raised an eyebrow. "A lightsaber?"

"Gunstick. Don't let the size and shape fool you."

"Wouldn't dream of it. What about you, Zoe?"

Zoe shook her head. "I don't need a weapon, John." Her eyes glowed for a moment.

"Pilot, send more DRDs to watch D'Argo." Aeryn tightened her grip on her pulse pistol and felt her heart begin to race, anticipating action. "We'll split up and come at them from both sides."

Arissia watched the six of them start for the door. "If it's all the same with you, I'll join Pilot and try to figure out who's behind this."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. Despite the number of wars that have been fought in my name, I really don't like violence."

John shrugged. "Your choice. To get to Pilot's…"

"I know the way, John." Arissia smiled and left the Center Chamber.

Murphy stared at the door. "You know, I have my own vision of God…it wasn't her."

"Discuss it later. We have a fight going on downstairs.

Aeryn slid to a stop as she rounded the corner, Carly and Murphy close behind her. A man and woman were in the center of the corridor, fighting what looked like upright lizards. The man was fighting hand-to-hand, while the woman swung a long sword.

Aeryn blinked. "Well, this is turning into a regular reunion."

"Someone you know?"

"I'll explain later. Antandra! Down!" She raised her pulse pistol and opened fire on the lizards. A microt later, Carly and Murphy followed suit.

The woman grabbed the man and dragged him to the floor as a hail of pulse blasts and plasma charges struck the lizards. The four disappeared as they fell.

Archangel Antandra Pandora raised her head and looked around. "Why can't our lives settle down?"

The man shook his head and wiped sweat from his dark skin. "That would be boring. Although, an explanation would be greatly appreciated."

Another man's voice, which seemed to come from Antandra's belt, said, "If you wanted a peaceful life, then perhaps it would've been better for you to resign your commission. We appear to be in familiar surroundings, Archangel."

"Yes, I know, Parsifal. I recognize the walls." Antandra smiled and stood. "Hello, Aeryn. It's good to see you again, though I'd like to know how we got back to Moya."

"We seem to be having a rash of people appearing out of nowhere." Aeryn holstered her pulse pistol. "How did you get here?"

"We were walking through a park near our home. It seemed rather peaceful when those lizard creatures came out of nowhere and attacked us. The next thing we know, we're here...wherever here is." The man shook his head. "I'm Mathias Crowe, Antandra's husband. You're the one who showed up with Antandra a couple of years back, right?"

"Yes." Aeryn tensed at the sound of running feet. She relaxed when she saw John, Scott and Zoe round the far corner.

John stared and lowered his pulse pistol. "Well, I didn't think we'd ever see you again. You're looking well, Antandra. Is Parsifal still with you?"

"Of course, Commander Crichton. The Archangel would be lost without me."

"You're looking well also, John. You and Scott were brought here, too, Zoe?"

Zoe blinked. "What year are you from?"

Antandra looked confused. "7781. Why?"

"Because we haven't met you yet," Scott said. "We're from 4495. So the situation, as it exists now, is that we have people from four different points in history, all of whom have had John, Aeryn and this ship."

"Except that we haven't encountered Aeryn yet," Zoe added. "And then there's Arissia."

"We've never seen her before," John said. He leaned against the wall and considered. "Whoever's behind this must have some reason for grabbing her."

"Who's Arissia," Mathias asked.

"Arissia Mastani, someone else who appeared out of nowhere. She went to Pilot so she could try and figure out who's behind all this."

The feeling that someone was standing behind her came over Aeryn just before they heard the voice.

_"Do you want to know who I am?"_

Aeryn frowned and looked around. "Did anyone else hear that?"

"You mean a deep, rumbling voice asking if we wanted to know who he was?" Murphy nodded. "Yeah, I heard it, too."

John stepped away from the wall and looked around, his hand drifting toward his pulse pistol. "Come out, come out wherever you are."

_"I am here, but I'm not. Do you want to know why I've brought you together?"_

"I'm not in the mood for games," Aeryn said as she drew her pulse pistol and scanned the corridor.

"That voice is familiar," Mathias said, "but I can't place it."

_"Yes, of course you recognize my voice, Mathias Crowe. You once knew me quite well. It's because of you that I no longer have a physical form."_

Mathias exchanged a confused look with Antandra and shook his head. "I'm afraid you have me as a disadvantage. What was your name?"

_"That would spoil the surprise."_

Aeryn looked around the corridor again. "Pilot, is Moya picking up anything?"

"No, Officer Sun. There is nothing registering on Moya's sensors."

"Can you hear this voice?"

"Yes, but I am at a loss as to where it's coming from."

In the background, they heard Arissia gasp. "Oh no," she said. "I know who it is! Mathias, remember back…" Her voice disappeared in a sea of static.

John slapping his comm. "Pilot? Pilot?" His only response was silence. "Okay, whoever you are, if you have a beef with Mathias, fine. What do the rest of us have to do with it?"

_"You all were involved in some way. Although, I do admit to taking the wrong Madigan and Baird. I looked at the wrong time period. But no matter."_

"Oh wonderful," Scott muttered. "I'm in trouble for something I haven't done yet. What is it I did to piss you off?"

_"Again, that would spoil the surprise. Now, it is time for you to work for your freedom."_

"Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose."

"Thank you, Janis Joplin." John glanced at Scott then upward. "What is it we're supposed to do?"

_"You will see. It is time."_

The corridor was plunged into darkness. It felt to John like he was falling.

The sensation faded a moment later, leaving…

…nothing…

TO BE CONTINUED


	3. Chapter 3

**Part Three:** Ultimatums

_"I'm a soldier, meaning that I'm  
Both the defendant and the judge  
I'm standing on both sides of the fire  
Going around turns, overtaking death and life  
I'm running to fight with the shadow of a lie"_

From "Rise"  
From _Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex_

"They're gone."

On the deck, in front of Pilot's console, Arissia sat. She opened her eyes and frowned. She had felt the unseen force snatch John, Aeryn and the others from Moya. "I know, Pilot. I felt them go. Is the baby all right?"

Pilot glanced down at his console. "Yes. D'Argo is sleeping peacefully, still surrounded by DRDs. Moya's sensors did not detect anything except the voice prior to their disappearance. I am at a loss for what to do." Pilot watched Arissia stand. "Are you really a deity?"

Arissia looked up at him and a faint smile crossed her face. "To many people in this universe, yes, I am. Despite the abilities I inherited by surviving the end of my universe, I don't take a hand in the everyday lives of the myriad of life forms in this universe."

"But you do wield power of some kind."

"I'd rather refer to them as abilities. Yes, I do have a wide range of abilities at my disposal. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find whoever it is behind this."

"Then th…"

Arissia turned back to Pilot. He seemed frozen, stopped in mid-sentence. "Pilot?" She frowned and looked around. "All right. Whoever you are, you really are powerful; I still don't sense you."

"I'm right here."

Arissia turned. In the doorway stood a tall man dressed entirely in black. "Hello," she said. "Am I to assume you're the one behind this?"

"I am." He began to walk toward Arissia. "I was grievously injured by these people, by Crowe in particular. The time has come for retribution."

"I see. Is there anything I can help mediate? Surely there can be a more peaceful solution to this."

The man smiled. "Mediation will not resolve anything. My corporeal existence ended because of them. There can be only one resolution."

Arissia rubbed her hands together and took a step toward the man. She reached out with her mind, to try and determine who he was. "I can't sense you. You're completely blank to me." The man's smile grew slightly. "Why did you bring me into this?"

"You forgot about me. You watched Crowe and the rest injure me, and did nothing to help me. You let me die."

"I highly doubt that. As I've always said, I don't take a hand in day-to-day lives. If something was done to you by anyone, then I'm sorry. At any rate, I'm the only person in this universe who can say she remembers everything from the last fourteen billion years. I can honestly say, I don't know you."

The man's smile faded. "You will soon remember." An instant later, he was gone.

"…ere. Is something wrong?"

Arissia turned back to Pilot. There was a look of concern on his face. "No, Pilot. Nothing's wrong. But I do have an idea. Is there any way I can access Moya's sensors directly?"

Pilot's head tilted to one side and he frowned. "The neurocluster should give you the access you need. What are you thinking?"

"If I can use Moya's sensors in addition to my own abilities, perhaps I can find John, Aeryn and the rest."

Pilot nodded and gestured toward the ladderways on either side of his console. "You can access Moya through the neurocluster below us. Moya will be as helpful as she possibly can."

"Good, Pilot." Arissia glanced back at the door then started back to the console.

The sense of nothingness faded after a microt.

Aeryn lay still for a moment, listening to the sound of light wind blowing through grass. The temperature had dropped slightly, and she seemed to be laying on dirt or soil. She thought she could hear someone nearby, but couldn't be sure who it was. Aeryn opened her eyes, sat up and looked around.

She could see nothing but grass surrounding her on all sides, stretching to the horizon.

"All right," she said quietly. "I'm starting to get annoyed."

She slapped her comm. "John? John, can you hear me? Pilot?" All she heard was the slight hiss of dead air.

Her mouth pulled into a deep frown. "I'm started to get extremely annoyed." She drew her pulse pistol and checked its oil charge.

After a microt, Aeryn heard someone moving behind her. Turning, she saw Murphy stand and rub his hands over his face.

"That wasn't pleasant," he said. He looked around quickly. "Carly?"

"It looks like just you and me right now," Aeryn said. "We appear to be caught in someone else's vendetta."

"I don't even know what happened when John showed up in my time. I wasn't even there. Don't get me wrong; I'd follow Carly into anything, but I like to know why I'm fighting."

"Aeryn! Murphy!"

Turning, they saw Antandra and Scott walking toward them. "Have you seen John and the others," Aeryn asked, trying to keep her anger in check.

"No," Scott said. "We woke up back over that way. We spotted you and started walking. Any idea where we are?"

"Some anonymous field of grass on some anonymous planet. Why we're here is the question." Antandra drew her sword and checked its built-in vibe generator. "I haven't seen any landmarks or structures. What's the plan?"

"We could stand here and wait for something to happen, or we could pick a direction and start walking."

There was again the feeling of someone standing behind them just before they heard the voice.

"And so, the game begins."

Turning, they saw a tall man dressed in black. "My retribution now begins."

"Who are you," Aeryn demanded. "What the frell is going on?"

The man smiled. "Now begins retribution."

"Retribution? For what? I don't know you."

"You know who I am. Because of you, my life ended for a time. Now, you must earn the right to live. If you succeed, you and your companions will live. If not, you will join me in death."

Murphy shook his head. "Melodrama doesn't become you. Where's Carly and the rest?"

"They have their own task to accomplish. Just as you have a task you must carry out."

Scott shook his head and crossed his arms. "I'm not performing for someone's entertainment. And I'm certainly not going to take the fall for what I may do sometime in my future."

Aeryn held up a hand to silence him. "Just what is it you want from us? You keep mentioning retribution."

The smile on the man's face grew, becoming almost predatory. "What you have to do is simply reach the tower."

"What tower?"

He waved a hand. Part of the horizon distorted, seemed to twist in on itself. When the distortion faded, a tower rose from the field of grass. "That tower."

Murphy tried to keep the smile off his face. "Maybe it would be a good idea to have all your game pieces in place before you let the players go."

The man's smile faded slightly. "Perhaps. Your task is simple. Gain entrance to the tower and you will survive. However, you will not survive to reach the tower."

Antandra exchanged a look with Aeryn. "If going to that tower means my death, I'm not going anywhere."

"You don't understand, Archangel. If you don't go, you will still die. Attempting to access the tower gives you the opportunity to survive."

On Antandra's belt, Parsifal's portable unit clicked. "You're contradicting yourself, sir. First you say that if the Archangel and the others remain here, they'll die. Then you say that if they go to the tower, they will survive, however they won't survive getting to the tower."

"There is no contradiction. It begins." The man disappeared.

The four of them exchanged looks. "So, what's the plan," Murphy asked.

Aeryn sighed. "I don't believe in foregone conclusions. I say we head for the tower."

"I agree," Antandra said. "If we're going to die anyway, we might as well make it hard for them."

"There's holes in every plot," Murphy said. "I get the feeling this dink is making this up as he goes along. Maybe we can catch a break and get back to the others, then back to the ship."

"All right then." Scott gestured toward the tower. "Lay on, MacDuff; and damned be him who first cries, 'Hold, enough!'"

As they started walking, Antandra patted Parsifal's portable unit. "Parsifal, sensors to maximum range, three hundred-sixty degrees, spherical."

"Understood, Archangel."

Aeryn glanced toward the clear sky and tried to assure herself that John would be all right.

"Okay, maybe this wasn't the best idea I've ever had."

John looked around the rocky ground he and the others were working their way across. Ahead of him, Carly was scanning the horizon. Mathias was close behind him, Zoe bringing up the rear. The sky above was dark and stormy, and a high wind tugged at them.

They had found themselves somehow transported from Moya to this rocky land, with no hint of how they had gotten there, no hint of where Aeryn and the others were. They had spotted the tower in the distance and decided to start for it.

"A little late for second thoughts, don't you think?" Mathias shielded his eyes as wind-blown dust struck him. "At least that tower will give some shelter." He looked around. "And to think, I was looking forward to a quiet day."

"I'd given up on quiet days on Moya. Things have been pretty calm for the last few months, but it never lasts." John looked back at Zoe. "Anything?"

"I'm not sensing anything," she said. "My mind is linked to Scott's; I'm not sensing that either."

"And since my comm's not working either, we don't know what's going on with Aeryn and the rest. Mathias, you said this guy's voice was familiar. Any ideas who it might be and why he's got it in for you?"

"None. I haven't done any real field work in years; I leave that to Antandra. I haven't a clue who this is."

Carly came back to them, shaking her head. "The ground between here and the tower looks like a rock pile. I think we can make it, but it'll be a long, hard slog."

"Then let's not stand here talking about it," John said.

"Who are you?"

The four of them turned slowly. Behind them, stood a tall man, wearing a long robe. His long white beard and hair bellowed in the wind.

"Who are you," he repeated.

John looked at the others and took a step forward. "Just four people who don't know where they are or how they got here."

"We were going to try an reach that tower in the distance," Mathias said. "We hope to find some hint of what's going on."

The man considered them for a moment then started walking. "The way is clear now. The trek should be made quickly. I will lead you."

Rather than follow the man, Zoe remained still. She held up a hand and waved the others back to her. "There's something wrong," she said.

"Something _else_ wrong, you mean," Carly said.

"I can't sense him. I can sense the three of you, but I can't sense him. Either he's shielded from me, or he's not really there."

"I wish Antandra was here," Mathias said. "Parsifal's sensors would be able to tell us who or what he is."

"Well, no sense dwelling on what we don't have." John took a deep breath. "Let's follow him for now. But be ready just in case Moses there decides he's going to lead us into a trap."

As they started after the man, John couldn't help but think their situation was going from bad to worse.'

TO BE CONTINUED


End file.
